Forum Topic

Greenford council 'tip'.

Does anybody know why, from October 2023, the 'tip' is closed every Wednesday and Thursday?  Looks ominous, is this a forerunner to its total closure?

Tony Heath ● 480d57 Comments

So, LBE consistently refuse to give figures/facts on this, and numerous other issues directly affecting residents?And people think we aren't living under a "Communist" style regime?!    😂

Rosco White ● 415d

The Lib Dems raised the failure of the sale, but no answer has been forthcoming from the council as to why the site wasn't disposed of. Doubtless the money from the garden waste collection subscription is subsidising this 'service', so one genuinely green activity being cut for something that won't do much towards anything.Of course, the council hasn't said what sort of numbers need to use this new facility to prove it's a success. No doubt Cllr Costigan will come up with her usual nonsense, without any facts to back it up.

Simon Hayes ● 416d

Oh Mr Hayes, that's too much Common Sense to comprehend in one go.Lefty Ealing Council doesn't do "Common Sense", it's ALL about Virtue Signalling Your (supposed/professed) Ideodology.    😉

Rosco White ● 416d

No Philippa. Change is fine if it’s an improvement but this isn’t, is it? This facility is only reopening as a pseudo green hub because the land is too contaminated for the council to sell it.You must be struggling to comprehend that people won’t travel miles to drop off small electrical items there. What most people want is a reinstatement of a proper recycling centre, where household and garden waste can be taken. Not hard to understand really.

Simon Hayes ● 416d

https://chiswickrepaircafe.com/have a Repair Cafe on Sat 20 AprilKew the Transition have one the same dayPutney Repair Cafe is on Sat 13 AprilHanwell have just had oneEaling Repair Cafe seems to be mostly textile based repairs at present and seem but I'm sure as they are looking to set up more comprehensive repairs at Stirling Road - see the article on CW4. com etc.Take a look at what is happening at Smugglers Way in Wandsworth and at the Brent Reuse & Recycling site.

Philippa Bond ● 416d

Simon.  You really do seem to be a bit of a doommonger, is that just because you hate change?Surely if something can't be fixed it will be in the right place for it to be recycled?  It is the sorting that costs so much money.

Philippa Bond ● 416d

There are health and safety issues about taking stuff from the tip. You do need permission to do so and would have to be supervised. Unfortunately there is likely to be all kinds of contamination lurking in those bits and pieces left by others.I note that the Stirling Road site won’t take household or garden waste. My guess is the proposed new hub will be a dismal failure. Not many people are going to go there to get an oils kettle or toaster fixed.

Simon Hayes ● 417d

Tony  I always think that is such a shame and I hope that attitudes will change.  Have you come across all the Repair Cafes that are increasingly springing up all over the country?  This may help to change the situation when those who fix things become more closely involved with those who are discarding stuff that still has a use.There is quite a lot happening at the different West London Waste Authority sites as they move to being much more Reuse & Recycling orientated.

Philippa Bond ● 417d

I can only speak as I find but Peter, Paul and Frank (the only names that I recall at the moment) have invariably been cheerful, helpful and always willing to share a bit of banter.

N V Brooks ● 417d

> ...full of usable and repairable and recyclable stuffMaybe so, but woe betide any ordinary mortal that attempts to collect any of it because they will be met with ferocious discouragement.As an engineer I can turn my hand to repairing and / or repurposing most things (electronic / electrical & mechanical) but I gave up trying to give something a second life a long time ago due to the attitude of Greenford tip.Okay, I'm only one guy, but I could have done my bit...

Tony Colliver ● 418d

> BTW the people who staff Greenford are lovely and very helpfulAre you using the same site, because, over 30+ years of using Greenford my experience has mostly been the opposite?

Tony Colliver ● 418d

I refuse to pay for the apology that is the garden waste collection service.

N V Brooks ● 420d

Sometimes it is quicker and more convenient to use another HWRC.  Each WLWA member borough contributes (ie we the tax payers do) to joint disposal facilities.We all have kerbside collections which take the majority of our waste and recycling.

Philippa Bond ● 420d

I have absolutely no desire to waste fuel going to other sites in other boroughs. As an Ealing council taxpayer one would hope that they would make adequate provision.

N V Brooks ● 420d

You can use other sites.  You don't have to only use the Ealing site.https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201167/rubbish_and_recycling/324/alternative_reuse_and_recycling_centres

Philippa Bond ● 420d

You are spot on as regards fly tiping!

Nicholas Beard ● 421d

Having done all that, this borough of c.400,000 is left with one part time site. No wonder fly tipping is on the increase.  BTW the people who staff Greenford are lovely and very helpful.

N V Brooks ● 421d

There is no 'away' in 'throw it away'.  We can see the whole earth from space.We've moved from a linear economy to a circular economy.We've been separating our food waste in Ealing for 20 years just for the collection to make it into fertiliser and power by anaerobic digestion and Ealing was ahead of the game in taking this up.  Others following an at last Govt report are only just starting.  The separation of mainly packaging preceded that.Electricals and electronics have take-back schemes from the shops and suppliers.  The Household Waste & Recycling Centres (as they've been called for 30+ years) were full of usable and repairable and recyclable stuff.  TRAID collects small electricals and clothing.  There are also street banks.It's a better way to sort for reuse and recycling of the earth's precious resources.Greenford is not the only HWRC. (Business waste is always different from Household as Council Tax covers just Household and Business waste is chargeable.) You need to book.  Have you looked at the Brent one?  Or the Richmond one?  Make sure you take ID and check the websites for any restrictions on what you can take or how  and when you can take it.  There's lots of info on the different West London Waste Authority websites. 

Philippa Bond ● 421d

While there is virtually uncontrolled building of high-rise blocks, Ealing will never achieve nett zero.  No amount of virtue signalling or Costigan's cycle lanes will do this.

N V Brooks ● 422d

Another idiotic, zealotry, Virtue Signalling decision to complement the "Net Zero" fiasco featured on the main page here, and the half £Billion or so Council Taxpayers are all on the hook for with Broadway Living.LBE under Liebore, you KNOW they're superlative negotiators and astute businessmen, they're a VERY safe pair of hands.    🤣

Rosco White ● 422d

Sadly I tried to get the British Heart Foundation to collect a king size mattress when I was moving to a smaller house. It was in immaculate condition (I am borderline OCD when it comes to cleanliness and it had always been covered with a mattress protector). Also I had the correct fire labels (£1200 from John Lewis) the guys who came refused to take it as they said it was too heavy. Given it had been carried by my elderly family in the past, I was left speechless. I have since heard similar stories on forums and word-of-mouth. In the end I had to pay a company to recycle it when they delivered the new (smaller) mattress. Such a waste :(

Val Benjamin ● 423d

Your last paragraph for sums it up very accurately. It is purely a recycle and reuse site with no facilities at all for the disposal of household or garden waste. Another disastrous decision by the buffoon's in charge at Percival House thank you very much.

N V Brooks ● 423d

There is a report on ActonW3.com about a date being set for the reopening of the Stirling Road tip in South Acton.Frustratingly, what remains unclear is if you will be allowed to bring household and garden waste here for disposal or if it is just for reuse i.e. textiles and electronics.The Lib Dems seem to think that the council is reluctant to confirm that the site will offer the same services as before to cover up the catastophic error of selling it off. I hope they are right because very few people are going to drive to the centre just to get a few socks darned or an old radio fixed.

Mark Evans ● 423d

Liz who? She lasted less than two months as even the most dyed in the wool Tory realised that she was nuts.

N V Brooks ● 462d

Just listen to and read this and you should realise what a large portion of this party's ideals are: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/9ed4f3fc-14c7-4636-b570-685c81d8fb9e?shareToken=0c3e74c7ef83bc674f805a45c8753a82Totally and completely oblivious to the damage she caused! Oh what a sycophant.

Philippa Bond ● 462d

https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/massive-development-near-chiswick-roundabout-approved-despite-objections/Work needs to start within the next 21 months.

N V Brooks ● 466d

Do you have any more info on this or perhaps a link please?We use the store regularly but your news is the first I have heard of it.We could switch to using the Yeading store, but it is quite a bit further away and I always get the feeling that one is at risk of being mugged in the car park there... especially after dark...!

Tony Colliver ● 466d

Business rates go 100% to central government anyway, so the argument is moot.

Tony Colliver ● 466d

It was the striplights that interested me because they are so often just condidered to be only business waste when they aren't.  All these DIY stores are selling this stuff so I'd expect them to have collection facilities.  Recycle Your Electricals had lists.  Also places to get these things fixed.  PC World, Curry's etc have them but maybe only at larger stores.  You always have to check as there are always going to be changes.  Ealing has some street banks but they are very limited in the size of the electrical goods they will take.  There used to be a problem with the Acton Morrisons one because Morrisons kept it locked.  Not all staff are knowledgeable or helpful.  Hounslow collect small rlectricals in carrier bags with their recycling.

Philippa Bond ● 468d

Make the most of B&Q recycling. The store closes within the next eighteen months.

N V Brooks ● 469d

Here is what Robert Dyas say on their website:https://www.robertdyas.co.uk/household-electricals-recycling-information

Philippa Bond ● 469d

Well Anthony - you are just plain wrong re Central Govt cutting the grants to Councils.  Conservative Councils as well as Labour ones are struggling.  If there is something wrong with info on any Council's website please tell them and your Councillors.  I can't report everything for everyone else.I happened to be in B&Q in Chiswick yesterday and they have small electricals recycling including low energy bulbs and striplights.

Philippa Bond ● 469d

"It is the Tory Govt which is trying to reduce the size of the state.  The amount of money from Central Govt to Councils is very much reduced.  I think it has now fallen about 60%."(08/02/24 22:24:00)Philippa,Central government funding has not been reduced, in absolute terms. It is the Labour Party that endeavour to constanltly increase the size of the big brother survelliance state, that complain about "Tory cuts" and "austerity". It is Labour run Ealing Council that are cutting front line services, such as the Greenford Road recycle/reuse site or planning notification letters. This, while spending more on the security services to "protect" Labour councillors, when they brown nose some developer at an Ealing Council Planning Committee. PS. On one of your website info. leads that you gave on the 8th February 2024, Electrical and electronic items recycling, Waitrose car park, Alexandria Road, W13 0NL site has been "out of action"/removed for at least four years. Have Ealing Council's Democratic Services Department decreed and advised Labour run Ealing Council that Waitrose is too bourgouise a place to shop that they removed the recycling site? Therefore removing a service for the people.

Anthony Hawran ● 475d

Anthony Hawran ● 475d

Heathrow makes barely a jot of difference to the overall budget when you compare what they pay to that which they receive,  Ealing has one of the largest trading estates in the country paying business rates, You are clutching at straws.

N V Brooks ● 476d

Just look at the Business Rate payers in Hillingdon which include the biggest Business Rate payer in the UK plus several other very large ones associated with that one!

Philippa Bond ● 476d

I simply refer you Philippa to our neighbouring borough of Hillingdon. Three recycling sites, weekly recycling general rubbish and garden waste collections with no extra charge for garden waste. No libraries closed and council tax lower than the people's democratic Republic of Ealing. It's not about tory cuts it's about managing money and resources,when would be understand?

N V Brooks ● 477d

So I stick with the belief that that all those years of Tory austerity were due to blind neo liberal ideology and not necessity but that doesn't mean that there should be no change at all.  After all life changes and so does our place in the world.  There are also Tories who said they took austerity too far and kept going for too long many years ago.  David Cameron said he wished he'd taken it even further.There has long been criticism of the continued closure of the Household Waste & Recycling Centres and LBE seem to have been very tardy in giving us more information on what our next steps to a circular economy should be and helping it get going as part of the West London Waste Authority with greater shared resources but then Defra has had several consultations about regularising recycling nationwide and not made the decisions Councils need to move forward and its Councils that have all problems and challenges of dealing withthe contracts that need to be allowed to run out/be terminated and procuring new.  Changing systems for residents is definitely a challenge for both, keeping on changing them unnecessarily would surely be most definitely worse.  There are people who still haven't grasped the basics and then there is the challene of new technology too.I haven't forgotten the 'cashback' that the Tory Council gave us just before a Council election when services were clearly still needing it and which many of us preferred to give to charity rather than take it.  Politics seems very unsavoury.  How many people can afford to or will give their time free nowadays?

Philippa Bond ● 477d

>and their existence only benefits a tiny minority of the population, and always will.You can't see how fewer cars to block up roads and junctions makes life easier for people in cars Simon?

Paul James ● 477d

The Stirling Road site was on the long list of council assets that could be sold off, ostensibly to make up the shortfall for central government funding. I’m not defending the Tories lack of interest in providing sufficient resources for local authorities, but it did give plenty of local politicians a green light to flog off land to developers at very favourable rates. Many of these sites still remain undeveloped, as evidenced in West Ealing.There’s no doubt that Ealing mismanaged its finances under Julian Bell. He froze coucil tax for years as a vote buying ploy, but of course the chickens came home to roost eventually and bills have subsequently skyrocketed. People would have accepted a small percentage increase each year (it’s done with most things in life), but Bell’s mantra that it was a regressive tax ignored the fact that it is a large contributor to funding local services. The biggest mistake Bell made was exposing Ealing taxpayers to the risk of the £400m loan he sanctioned to fund the council’s development business Broadway Living. Ealing is in the top 25 most at risk local authorities for bankruptcy.Of course, the funding cuts didn’t stop the Ealing Labour councillors voting themselves a whopping increase in allowances after the last local election in 2022. Peter Mason pocketed a massive 70 percent increase in his allowance, taking around £70,000 a year. Would it not have been better to put this money back into services?This hasn’t improved engagement with residents not aligned to its policies but I’m sure they must think they are worth it.

Simon Hayes ● 478d

Amazed that it took you that many posts to make your, oh so predictable, Tory cuts post. Nothing of course to do with your beloved 'champagne socialists' being unable to marshall their resources. The old Ealing mantra of "close it and then complain that it is underused".

N V Brooks ● 478d

https://actforealing.org/2024/02/07/february-dates-for-ealing-clothes-repair-cafe/

Philippa Bond ● 478d

AnthonyIt is the Tory Govt which is trying to reduce the size of the state.  The amount of money from Central Govt to Councils is very much reduced.  I think it has now fallen about 60%.Many things can be recycled kerbside - mostly packaging - but also clothing and Engine Oil but you must check the instructions on how to present these. You can also use the free TRAID collection for clothing + some small electricals.  There are also street banks for SMALL electricals and street banks for clothing.https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/280/household_recyclinghttps://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/1781/electrical_and_electronic_items_recyclingThe British Heart Foundation will collect furniture and mattresses but they can be quite fussy and I think are often short of space.  There are also important restrictions - in particular they must be saleable and have fire labelling. There are several firms eg Dunelm who now seem to be working with them which also has probably increased their collections.You can arrange a bulky waste collection for those things that cannot be reused through the West London Waste Authority and through the Council.  This way there should be no problem of unlicensed collectors collecting your waste and dumping it around the corner etc and you as the originator of the waste being fined as well as the unlicensed collector.Petit Miracles in Hammersmith will often collect small pieces of furniture for upcycling and small repairs and selling on.  They teach people the skills to do this.https://www.petitmiracles.org.uk/There is a lot of info online - and of course it is forever changing.  There really is much less need to take things to what used to be called the 'tip' because of the effort being put into reducing the amount of stuff that is sent to incineration when it has the potential to be reused.  Many older items are far superior to new ones and just need a bit of TLC to improve them.Forum Home

Philippa Bond ● 478d

AnthonyIt is the Tory Govt which is trying to reduce the size of the state.  The amount of money from Central Govt to Councils is very much reduced.  I think it has now fallen about 60%.Many things can be recycled kerbside - mostly packaging - but also clothing and Engine Oil but you must check the instructions on how to present these.  You can also use the free TRAID collection for clothing + some small electricals.  There are also street banks for SMALL electricals and street banks for clothing.https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/280/household_recycling https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/1781/electrical_and_electronic_items_recyclingThe British Heart Foundation will collect furniture and mattresses but they can be quite fussy and I think are often short of space.  There are also important restrictions - in particular they must be saleable and have fire labelling. There are several firms eg Dunelm who now seem to be working with them which also has probably increased their collections. You can arrange a bulky waste collection for those things that cannot be reused through the West London Waste Authority and through the Council.  This way there should be no problem of unlicensed collectors collecting your waste and dumping it around the corner etc and you as the originator of the waste being fined as well as the unlicensed collector.Petit Miracles in Hammersmith will often collect small pieces of furniture for upcycling and small repairs and selling on.  They teach people the skills to do this.https://www.petitmiracles.org.uk/There is a lot of info online - and of course it is forever changing.  There really is much less need to take things to what used to be called the 'tip' because of the effort being put into reducing the amount of stuff that is sent to incineration when it has the potential to be reused.  Many older items are far superior to new ones and just need a bit of TLC to improve them.

Philippa Bond ● 478d

Sorry Ben. Your video is exactly an opinion.Ealing is one of the worst greenwashing boroughs in London. The cycle lanes, such as they are, don’t mitigate the emissions from massive developmental across the borough, including the (laughably titled) Green Quarter in Southall, where existing residents have been exposed to noxious gases released from the ground on the old gasworks site. Even local councillor Peter Mason hadn’t bothered to look after the very voters he supposedly represents.The problem with you cycle fanatics is you can’t see beyond your own obsession. As others have pointed out on this thread, you have to drive to most recycling centres. If that becomes a difficult journey then people won’t bother. All the LCC led council has done is to try and make traveling by road more difficult. The cycle lanes are a big part of the problem now, and their existence only benefits a tiny minority of the population, and always will.If you don’t understand that, then you are beyond help.

Simon Hayes ● 479d

Philippa, thank you for some potentially useful information and web site addresses. THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT LABOUR RUN EALING COUNCIL ARE MAKING IT HARDER FOR THE PEOPLE TO RECYCLE GOODS. For all their virtue signalling, Labour run Ealing Council seem to be running down services, such as the recycle/reuse Greenford Road site. This makes it harder for the people to do recycling.

Anthony Hawran ● 479d

> More interested in bike pages (which actually contribute to emissions with their construction and maintenance).Simon, nothing wrong with holding an opinion, but don't tell anyone that your opinion is a fact when the fact is that you don't know better. https://youtu.be/CHZwOAIect4?si=ECgvfuNErEjYmtmW

Ben Owen ● 479d

This website is useful for electricals:https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/Find out how you can recycle your textiles here - it also includes info on the TRAID collection:https://www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201171/recycling_services/292/re-use_and_recycling_centres_and_sites/4Apart from the other online sites where you can either sell or give away unwanted possessions - many of which are listed on the West London Waste Authority website there is also:www.trashnothing.com  is an easy to use website for giving things away free.  All sorts of things are listed here from unwanted plants - from too big to move house with someone to extra seedlings to pots and pans, kitchen equipment, paving stones, jam jars and furniture. In fact everything you can imagine. I once saw a potter's wheel being offered. 

Philippa Bond ● 479d

We are moving from a linear economy to a circular economy.You need to think past the 'tip' as they have been Reuse & Recycling for abslutely years.  Where do you think it all goes to when landfills are so expensive and have been closing and the price of land is at a premium?https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-circular-economy-in-detail-deep-dive

Philippa Bond ● 479d

One day, all will be revealed about how Labour "ran" Ealing Council ........ 😉

Rosco White ● 479d

Labour run Ealing Council have made it harder for the people to recycle goods. They closed the Stirling Road site in Acton, it seems, in order to brown nose some developer. This was at the expense of the people who need and paid for the use of the recycle/reuse centre that was there.Labour run Ealing Council seem to be running down the Greenford Road site. Perhaps they are planning to close it?With less services, will the Council Tax burden be reduced?

Anthony Hawran ● 479d

We have had Producer Responsibility  and extended Producer Responsibility laws for years now so there is a lot of take-back now available for when you do buy something new.  This reduces the need for everyone to use a Household Reuse & Recycling Centre.  Business is of course different.It isn't always like-for-like and the restrictions may vary a bit from company to company.  If you are lucky enough to have your own transport (which a lot of people don't) then you can sometimes take stuff to Curry's or PC World or Ikea for instance depending on what it is.I think the Councils still have agreements with some compsnies eg TRAID.  Details are on the website.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/producer-responsibility-regulations

Philippa Bond ● 479d

Well aware of them thanks, but they are much further away. Strange that we are told to drive less yet facilities such as these are difficult to get to. Stirling Road was ideal in its previous incarnation.And yes, making less waste is the obvious best choice but sadly things do eventually need replacing or particular projects require materials that will produce waste. And clearly the more people you cram into an area the more waste will be generated.

Simon Hayes ● 479d

The less waste you make the less you have to dispose of!  That is exactly how it is easier to deal with.Have you tried the other Reuse & Recycling Centres that we in Ealing as a member of the West London Waste Authority can use?  You need to check their websites to see what ID you may need etc and what you can take and any other restrictions ie don't forget to check whether there are any road restrictions eg if you are not ULEZ compliant etcwww.westlondonwaste.org.uk

Philippa Bond ● 479d

Ealing council has its environmental policies totally cockeyed. It should be making reuse and recycle easier for residents, not more difficult. Yet closing Stirling Road in Acton (and its new incarnation isn’t much use to most people) and underfunding the Greenford site make taking items to the tip very difficult for many. A lot now just goes in the general waste black bins at home.There is plenty of money available for improvement and the fact that recycling levels have flatlined in recent years should be sounding alarm bells in Perceval House, but apparently isn’t.The likes of Philippa Bond constantly urge people to recycle but if it’s a pain to do then people won’t, no matter how much preaching comes from the sanctimonious civic leaders. More interested in bike pages (which actually contribute to emissions with their construction and maintenance). The key to making the planet a better place to live is to consume less.

Simon Hayes ● 479d

Thank you for your reply, Nigel.  I still can't help but feel that the facility's days are numbered . . . .

Tony Heath ● 480d

No, they halved the number of staff and can now only 'man' the site five days per week. Appeals about this probably increasing fly tipping fell on deaf ears.

N V Brooks ● 480d